UnCon-Eventional Sidetracks are event recaps more on the event itself than the experience, BUT.
It does not include the full experience of all days at the event. D:
Wonder what the event is like in the field? Check out A Con-Eventional Sidetrack: Cosmart 2019
Credits to Comic Fiesta (Source) for the featured image, and the various images and posts seen here.
I DO NOT own the rights to any of these photos or posts (If mentioned), ALL rights belong to Comic Fiesta, and other respective parties mentioned.
Introduction
We need to build a wall…let for attending this event.
Pretty sure exposure is not a currency.
The FAQ is this?
Cosmart 2019 is the 7th iteration of Comic Fiesta’s signature event of a marketplace that sells all sorts of stuff, mainly cosplay related equipment.
On the weekend of 19th and 20th October, this modest marketplace over at Da Men Mall welcomes visitors to check out its content of stuff mostly sold by…fellow folks in the ACG scene.
So of them very prestigious guests one could say, but ultimately a lot of familiar folks.
First Contact
Announced on September 20th, Cosmart 2019’s from out of nowhere blueprint for the event was a sort of expected surprise, depending on who you ask.
Considering the number of years they’ve been doing this already, it would seem a bit off to not continue tradition. 🤔
Also, Da Men Mall is not literally a mall for men, as it’s actually supposed to be pronounced in Chinese, which means “Big Door”.
No worries, I myself thought that it was a mall for Da Men too, because who sees alphabets and think “Oh it’s supposed to be pronounced in Chinese!” 🤔
Registration Open Season
Cosmart being a very stocked market esque event, makes it such that booth registrations for the event are very opened, is the perspective we’ve noticed.
Seriously, the one thing that you can say to sum up Cosmart, is that “It’s the event for selling cosplay stuff.”
Which explains the large flood of albums across social media in the leadup to Cosmart’s event weekend, filled with listings for folks to check out and/or pickup at Cosmart itself.
- Credits to Comic Fiesta for the photos.
Or here to give audiences some cosplay skit-zophrenia?
Cosmart’s opened for registration to fill up the event’s performers lineup.
With the Cosmic Star Singing Competition being the most interesting of them all, that you’ll learn shortly enough when the Lineup starts.
But one contest that has the most intrigue to sign up for,
Is the Behind-The-Scenes Photography Contest, where photographers get to showcase a rarely seen outlook at how did they manage to put together such magnificent photos.
Also, why Behind The Scenes you ask?
Because no one wants to know what’s In Front The Scenes. 🤔
Lineup Starts Here
So about that Cosmic Star Competition thing.
- Credits to Comic Fiesta for the photos.
Interestingly enough, the competition utilizes a Top 10 finalists system, to help announce the 10 performers who would be taking centre of Cosmart’s stage.
With Judges Evelyn Toh and Kelly Siew to showcase their singing prowess to.
- Credits to Comic Fiesta for the photos.
Up next, comes the judges for the Behind The Scenes Photography contest, that stars Mit Photography, MoonHawk Photography, and Waynn Phot-…uh I maen Waynn Images.
To pass judgement upon the many works they have to assess.
With the latter judge having a workshop on photography as part of Cosmart Day 1’s event lineup.
Just praying to god this isn’t another indirect commercial for Sony Cameras again. 🤔
- Credits to Comic Fiesta for the photos.
Even a small marketplace event comes with guests Sushii, Dova and Rikka to join the party, with the latter two having judging duties for Day 2’s Cosplay Skit contest.
No strangers to the World Cosplay Summit’s (WCS) level of critique, the pair do know what it takes to make the most out of a small stage skit.
…also, is this photo a ship?
Readers, help decide please. 🤔
- Credits to Comic Fiesta for the photos.
Anyways, Guests are one thing, performers to grace the stage is another.
And Cosmart 2019’s lineup, includes the small but generous bands of,
- Project Coser, that’s Jojo-ing up this joint.
- 02 Pro, that’s 02 times the professionals.
- Mewriel, charming audiences with a literal fan favorite routine. (See the Fan she uses during her performance.)
- Kotoba, one of the many signature Love Live themed groups seen here in Malaysia.
WAIT.
AREN’T THERE JUDGES FOR THE DANCE CONTEST TOO?!
Well duh.
Starring some very iconic names in the Malaysian Dancing scene, which includes the likes of Mr TeRo, Miss Kelly and Mr Yoro.
Many of them may appear to be strangers to the ACG scene, but the language of dance is found across their careers, which highlights a level of prestige of being judged by this very trio. 😮
With that.
- Credits to Comic Fiesta for the photos. Source.
Floor Plan’s all laid out like a carpet, all across the 3 floors that literally puts Cosmart on some High Ground,
Schedule’s suited up, now…huh, wonder what do people do for food here if Mall based Food Court stuff isn’t their thing.
Oh right.
Look around close enough, and one will find the La Petite Fox crew working out over at Da Men Mall’s Swensen’s restaurant.
What do they even serve here, you ask?
Pasta.
Some good stuff to help…pasta time. (☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞
The Good Goods
The Good Goods brings you ALL the best bits an event has to offer!
Please keep in mind this is only for the current iteration of this event, which may or may not repeat for future events.
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Cosmart Cause
The first time we heard of Cosmart, I found it surprising that such an event that’s tailor made for selling cosplay gear even exists.
Granted, that’s not the only type of stuff you can find there.
And I want to say it’s, pretty good, at sort of bridging the gap between folks who dabble in cosplay and normal people who don’t know jack shit about the practice, or folks who want to get into cosplay but find it impossible.
Also, what other event in town, outside of events with Cosplay gear vendors, has an entire event dedicated to it being, to put it bluntly, a public marketplace for selling cosplay stuff.
Given the context of it being a Comic Fiesta backed event, it helps serve as a prequel for folks looking to prepare their stuff for that big boss of an event.
Good stuff.
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Photography Contest
This is something I’ve not seen much in the ACG scene until now, but it is really cool to well…I don’t know about most of you readers, but being able to see some Behind the Scenes stuff on the process of making of photos is something quite, rare I’d say.
The fact there’s a contest for it shows a level of, I guess acknowledgement that damn good photographers exist, let’s promote the best.
It’s a rare sight I believe, and some good stuff to see and learn how this stuff works.
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Spaced Out Positioning
Jeezus Cosmart is spacious as Fak.
The fact they also got positioning right is pretty darn good too.
Like, pretty much any booth that involves people selling their stuff, are located on the Lower Ground and 1st floor, basically locations that are away from the stage area’s endless blasting of noise that gets in the way.
Only Vendors would be positioned on the same floor as the stage area, and I would argue that they make the most sense to be placed there.
Since most transactions between vendors are more straightforward than checking out stuff from people manned booths, that may involve further inquiries for more information.
One minor pickle, is that the Lower Ground floor will be completely blind to what’s going on at the stage area, but I suppose that’s an okay trade off if it means not having external noise dick over conversations people are having.
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Food Courtesy
That food court next to the Lower Ground section of Cosmart, nuff said.
…what?
Food is always good. 🤔
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Entry Access
Apart from the obvious FREE to enter event, Cosmart does appear to be one of the few events where pretty much anyone can secure a booth for selling off their stuff.
Such that, it has a much more lower barrier to entry compared to most other events I guess?
I can’t be certain how many artist booths managed to get in, considering there were a handful during the event and that it’s tough to tell if there’s priority to folks who have cosplay stuff to let off.
Regardless, if there’s an event you could try landing a slot at, especially for an event under the Comic Fiesta name, Cosmart’s probably the best bet for it.
Just give it a shot.
The Bad Blehs
The Bad Blehs brings up some…bad stuff, about events, which need to be talked about since no event is without issues that can’t be fixed for the future.
Future Organizers and/or spies from other event organizers, you can learn a thing or two of what not to do at your event here. (As a guide, so that you’re not too busy repeating history.)
Please keep in mind these are only for the current iteration of this event, which may or may not repeat for future events.
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Tabled Obstacle (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
Okay, this one may have slipped lots of people’s eyes, but that table setup near the stage area can go F itself, especially near the end of the event.
I can acknowledge its effectiveness in being a barrier to not have crowds get too rowdy, that makes sense.
But, it is a bit embarrassing having to see the Dance Competition Judges linger around the Judge Table area to kill time, as though there’s nowhere else to sit.
Don’t you guys have seats in the backstage for these sort of Guests of Honor?
Also, since there aren’t any more contests left after the Dance Contest, couldn’t you people just clear that Judge Table out of there?
Other than having it stick around as an annoying prop contributes nothing but literal Dead Space, that even the zombies from Dead Space want no part of.
In short, just…clear stuff early, since it needs to be cleaned up anyways no?
Also, people are not that stupid to assume the event’s closing up early, all because you guys are moving tables out of there.
Especially before the Prize Giving ceremony, since that’s the kind of stuff people still stick around for.
So having space to still accommodate those crowds is needed.
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An Announcehole
One thing that needs to be taken the piss at, is the strange less than 30-day ish gap between Cosmart 2019’s announcement, and the event weekend for it.
This is before we bring up the less than 2 week announcement gap for Anime Fest, but that’s a topic for another time.
It’s only two instances, but it is a bit, unprofessional to be doing last minute stuff like this.
Coming from the biggest ACG Event Organizer in town it’s rather…ew.
The takeaway here is that, if there are plans already finalized and ready for action, just announce it, especially if all the permission’s already settled and granted.
Or just, I guess, plan better, since it’s a hard to swallow pill that big organizations don’t have events planned years in advance. 👀
Clashes between events are honestly annoying, and regardless of who’s doing it, this dumbass practice can go F itself.
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Coffytiam Question
I’m aware of the Coffytiam booth that sets up shop with the various Guest Merch available, and it comes with planned meet & greet sessions for those guests announced as part of Cosmart’s lineup.
But one pickle here.
Given the context of how Cosmart works, isn’t a guest meeting session a bit…pointless, considering that aren’t they regular booth people with their booths across the event anyways?
Is it any different than just meeting them at their booth?
That’s the confusing part, since it’s a bit weird, and that I…kind of wonder, if wouldn’t people just pickup their merch and ask if they could get a sign at their booth instead?
The Coffytiam booth housing the Guest merch is fine, it’s part of Comic Fiesta’s pool of how they handle guest items.
But the meet & greet session is slightly redundant in our view, since people can still meet these guests at their booths anyways no?
Of course, when they’re not busy with judge duty and stuff.
I can understand if some of the guests aren’t there all day to be boothing at Cosmart, but again, it’s just a bit…strange, is all.
The Sequel?
Well duh.
With Cosmart being a Comic Fiesta tradition since 2013, I don’t doubt the fact that it will continue being the more prequel-ey prequel to Comic Fiesta come the end of the year.
I honestly just want them to announce event plans much earlier is all, that’s honestly the only thing they need to do.
Whatever content they do for Cosmart is irrelevant to be honest.
Since it’s not like CF is run by college students who have a Masters in last minute assignment hand-ins…right? 🤔
The Verdict
Cosmart, is one of the few ACG events that are kind of core to the ACG scene, in the idea that it helps make the hobby of cosplaying to some degree, publicly available.
It helps that it’s run by lots of folks who are experienced in the practice to give their insight, which helps beginners slowly step into the hobby.
But the event’s behind the scenes stuff needs fixing the most, since it’s not beneficial to anyone in the long run with BS last minute antics like this.
Just announce stuff dammit, people wouldn’t mind an addendum.
Otherwise, still a very dank event to visit for a wallet funeral, give or take.
*END*
Author’s Note:
Thank you so much for reading!
If possible, I’d love to hear your feedback on what can we do better.
Be it the bad writing, horrible pictures, or just the fact I need more water, I’d love to hear about it.
Also,
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